Desire to eat at night

zenful6219

I'm good at following restricted calorie diets. That is until I get home from work at about 5 PM. From that point until my head hits the pillow at about 11 PM, all I want to do is eat. I'm not hungry. I just want to eat. It wrecks my diet and I feel guilty and horrible because I failed.

I can't be the only one with this problem. Is this stress eating? If so, I don't feel stressed. How do others handle this?

Kalikel

Bad habits are hard to break.

That saying didn't come from nowhere! But you can break them. Once you develop good habits, they become easier and easier to live with.

If you aren't all that hungry during the day, maybe you could eat less at those times so you could eat more in the evenings. Otherwise, you just have to use willpower. Commit to changing the habit and mean it. Be determined, so that's nothing can stop you.

If you set your mind to it and work hard, you'll do it!

Nobody said it was easy. But you can do it!!

merrycat

1. Low Calorie Nibbles like sugar snap peas, steamed broccolli, etc

2. Keep actively busy with something else, like crafts or reading, or something that takes up your attention, rather than sitting passively in front of the TV or computer

3. Go to bed. Can't eat if you're sleeping lol.

That's what has worked for me in the past. Hopefully it can help you too.

ShibaEars

I have the same problem. I don't know why, I just want junk food.

I find if I exercise after work, I get home later so a) it's less time to binge eat, and b) I'm more likely to make better food choices. I'll also try to keep myself busy by doing dishes/cleaning the kitchen and walking my dog. Prepping food for the next couple days helps kill some time too.

The other thing I'm trying to do is eat a bit less during the day and save some extra calories for the evening, so I don't go over, or I don't go over by a lot.

raelsea

I have this same problem. After work, I just want to sit on the couch and eat. It's just so comforting! So far, I haven't found any tricks that really work. I just have to convince myself that the extra eating isn't worth it.

DrJenO

I eat half of my calories throughout the day, and the other half after I get home from work.

If it fits your calories and macros, it isn't a problem. Is this kind of eating causing you to go over?

hartmamp

I save the majority of my calories for dinner and afterward because that's just when I want to eat more.

Tedebearduff

I'm good at following restricted calorie diets. That is until I get home from work at about 5 PM. From that point until my head hits the pillow at about 11 PM, all I want to do is eat. I'm not hungry. I just want to eat. It wrecks my diet and I feel guilty and horrible because I failed.

I can't be the only one with this problem. Is this stress eating? If so, I don't feel stressed. How do others handle this?

Break the habit... Like really there isn't much more to say then that you should be speaking with a doctor about this and not the internet.

gopgirl425

UGH! Me too....in to read responses.

zenful6219

I've thought about just going to bed.

zenful6219

The eating after I get home does cause me to go over my calorie limit.

zenful6219

Break the habit... Like really there isn't much more to say then that you should be speaking with a doctor about this and not the internet.

I thought it might be helpful to know what other people are doing to break the habit. The physician route is probably not a bad idea, too.

Branstin

Just how restrictive is your diet?

BoxerBrawler

Yes... I find that eating or snacking at night before bed is just comfort eating. I used to have the desire to do this as well. For me it was just a matter of will power and reminding myself that after killing my workout and MMA, why on earth would I want to be counterproductive. I just keep reminding myself of that. Almost each night when the urge hits me, I make myself a diet tea or slim tea and I sip on that and eat exactly two cups of Angie's popcorn.... very slowly. This not only comforts but distracts me from wanting other goodies. I make it last and by the time I am done I am pretty much ready for bed.

baleywhary1

Like everyone else says...it's going to be about breaking the habit. But what if you helped yourself out by popping some popcorn (homemade) which has fiber and is very low cal and allow yourself to snack on ONLY that after dinner. This will help because you'll be munching on something healthy, and you might get bored of it and stop eating after dinner...Just a thought!

lbride

For me, I just eat (and eat) air popped pop corn with spray butter. Very few cals!

zenful6219

Just how restrictive is your diet?

I'm allotted about 2,000 calories.

Branstin

Make sure you eat protein, fiber, and calorie dense foods during the day. This will make you full and you'll have calories left for a nightly snack.

sassyredhead89

Funny you posted this--this is actually one of my big struggle areas, and I did the popcorn thing tonight. It helped. I was still feeling a bit munchy after that, so i broiled some portabella mushrooms and snacked on those (probably not everyone's first choice, but i love them!). It worked. I'm satisfied and ready to go to bed now, and didn't take in too many calories. I LOVE a piece of whole wheat bread with natural peanut butter before bed. It makes me sleep like a baby. But most days I just don't have the calories left over for that, so I'm exploring other lower calorie snacks now!

F00LofaT00K

I had issues with this at first, so I would eat sparsely throughout the day and save the bulk of my calories for night time. It let me snack, but I was able to stay in control of my calories. I slowly worked myself to a point where I was eating more throughout the day and snacking less. Like everything else in life, getting to a healthy weight and breaking bad habits takes practice. But as far as weight loss goes, it really doesn't matter what time you eat your food. . . so if night time is when you eat the most, fit it into your day.

jellybeansmamma

I'm the same! I'm on meds that make me feel ravenously hungry after taking them right up until I fall asleep, so I save most of my cals for night time. Also I knit/crochet, so only having one bite of food after i finish a row means it takes much longer to eat the same amount of food, and I am distracted in between bites. Sounds weird I know, but it works for me

twyliatepeka

Can we start a Night Eaters Anonymous? I do the same thing. I hate it & I'm working on it but it is tough.

lanigirl143

I have the same problem. It's really helpful to drink water when you get that initial "I need to eat something just because feeling" it usually helps for me. But the easier way to avoid eating would be to go to sleep earlier, but I struggle with that.

blondageh

There is such a thing as Nightime eating syndrome. Not sure if this is what is affecting you but I have it. I have tried everything for about 18 years to cure or just curb it. Its as soon as I lay down to go to sleep and then I wake up several times during the night. The only way I can lose weight now is by tracking my binges. Before midnight and after midnight so they carry over into the next day. Sad but it works for me. I have talked about it a lot but I don't think I have slept through the night in 18 yrs but maybe a handful of times even on medication.

fushigi1988

You restrict too much during the day, your willpower breaks down and in the evening you are tired and your willpower runs out.
You might need to give yourself some more space, settle for a bit smaller deficit, so you stop with the bingelike behaviour during the evenings.

tony56pr

I deal with it by eating low calorie foods and or a fatty or protein rich food. (Almonds for instance) either you get away with eating large volume and not wrecking diet or you take a little calorie hit without still being hungry. Also I typically make room for my after work snacks, protein shake after workout for instance. I plan them in other words. I eat very few snacks that I didn't plan for.

dayv27

I have the same problem. It's really helpful to drink water when you get that initial "I need to eat something just because feeling" it usually helps for me. But the easier way to avoid eating would be to go to sleep earlier, but I struggle with that.

I've been trying the "water first", instead of snacking. Have a big glass of water, wait a bit and see if I'm still hungry. Most of the time it helps, sometimes it doesn't. Getting into better habits has been my solution.

DanceswithWow

Hello

My name is Dances with Wow..

Could nt help it Im addicted to questions?

How does one know what a healthy behavior is if one has never seen or participated consciously in the act..?

Eating at night is common and may be just how your metabolic clock has been programmed..
Most people have this behavior because it has been mimicked or rehearsed thousands of time.. while growing up
so its a learned response..to retiring from the day..

You can also take on this behavior from your peers.. college is a great example of just doing what you have watched others do year after year after year after year..

Its an indelible imprint, like a splinter in your mind..
eating at night also is a lifestyle choice..This is by far the easiest to over come because its simply substituting one lifestyle activity for one that takes you away from either eating out of boredom, eating out despair, eating out of being alone, eating out being a zombie to your day.

Habituation..can occur from all these things..but can be disrupted with changing what leads up to the consequence and familiarity of nothing to do but eat.

The other two learned response are not so easy to interrupt because they are branded in the psyche..
To undo..these..

before you eat..
Just try to make sure its the right stuff..Instead of fighting urge replace the stuff with good stuff..Most of the time ruffage works this means your eating because of a foraging habit...forage eating means you simply cant find what it is you really have taste for and you just want it in your mouth looking for a flavorful taste.. If you are forage eater.. substitute with...chips and salty foods with crispy low sodium foods and beneficial fats

Rice cakes. baked pita chips, flat bread crackers - top dip or spread with humus, honey, apple or fig preserves.. even plain cream cheese if you have a protein such as egg or tuna with it.

If you still find your self unable to unplug from eating at will.. try to counter balance by
using the next morning 12 to 20 minutes earlier awake time to raise your cardio vascular system before the noon food energy reset to the evening hormone shift.

Eating late places a beating on your lipolytic enzyme count.. when your lypolytic enzyme hormones becomes lost in translation,, unwanted body fat weaponizes.shields go up.. fat rises and plumps up..because you are steadily feeding your system with foods that really fakes out your sleep cycle

finally if all else fails do not call a doctor ..this is not a medial situation this a situation that willpower cant fix, nor a physician because most likely they are doing the same thing..


What might work best.. is do a food energy audit.. on all the snacks in the house..and try and make a game of filling your pantry with not double digit sugar sources of snacks but single digit versions. This way freewill wont step in and try to under mind the little voice in your head screaming discipline.. wheres your discipline..

and your answer is up yours I will eat because I worked hard I deserve this..
and thus the cycle start all over again



My name is Dances with Wow..

I bring life force to lives love and leisure..

fuzzyps

Dances with Wow, can you please say more on the following or point me in the direction of where i can find out further information:

If you still find your self unable to unplug from eating at will.. try to counter balance by
using the next morning 12 to 20 minutes earlier awake time to raise your cardio vascular system before the noon food energy reset to the evening hormone shift.

Eating late places a beating on your lipolytic enzyme count.. when your lypolytic enzyme hormones becomes lost in translation,, unwanted body fat weaponizes.shields go up.. fat rises and plumps up..because you are steadily feeding your system with foods that really fakes out your sleep cycle

thanks Liam

CLA1134

Yes! Night time eating is my kryptonite. It doesn't help that we eat dinner as a family between 4-6 and I don't roll into bed until 8-10 hours later at 2 am. I basically have another half a day in there I should be eating. But, I can't. If I eat anything passed 8 or 9 I see it, literally, in my face the next morning. I doesn't matter if it's a banana, left over pizza, or a tub of ice cream. I feel terrible the next day, groggy (or I should say more groggy then normal). It sucks. Nigh time eating is a big reason how I got to this weight. So no, you're not alone.

It's funny, this topic always makes me think of an Oprah episode I saw decades ago. She was going on about how you don't eat past something like 7:00, "not even a grape." It's totally true, for me anyway.